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Mediterranean Syndicate
"The best things in life are free, But you can give them to the birds and bees, I want money That's what I want" :- "Money (That's what I want)" by Barrett Strong, signed by Detroit-based Syndicate subsidiary Motortown Records The Mediterranean Syndicate, or the Syndicate, is a new faction exclusive to Red Alert 3 Paradox, designed by theSniperDevil, then expanded upon by Open sketchbook, Kerensky287 and Ferriswheel42. The faction is made up of a conglomerate of defence corporations and contractors known for their shady involvement in sub-legal activities (hence a "Syndicate"). They are characterized by their heavy use of battlesuits and artillery units, which are well-suited to urban environments. Also their air units, consisting only of choppers, have unlimited ammo to compensate being only support to the infantry rather than direct action. At a Glance Background "The only rule is the Golden Rule: He who has the Gold makes the Rules." The Company At first glance, it would seem that the organisation known as the Mediterranean Syndicate is nothing more than another multinational corporation based in Europe, notable only for its strange choice of names and its extensive donations to charities around the world; that, and an unusual obsession with ancient Greece and Rome. At the company headquarters in Rome and at its offices elsewhere, one can see neon lights and skyscrapers mingling with columns and frescoes of long dead heroes. However, though the Syndicate may appear to be nothing more than eccentric, underneath this carefully sculpted façade lie ancient secrets. The company was first formed in the 1920s as the industrial age was coming to a climax, and a young man under the alias "Romulus" was seeking to share his inherited fortune. His goal was to create a group of security companies that worked and operated under one headquarters situated in Rome, Italy. At first, the idea was a success as many contractors were looking for a source of consistent research funding, though the 1930s hit them hard and fast. By 1932, the organisation had recovered from near bankruptcy, though their methods of acquiring the money were questioned. When an inquiry was made by the Italian Special Anti-Mafia General Attorney, the Syndicate cited that they were not to be held responsible for the actions of their clients. Numerous reports were filed regarding the aforementioned "clients", though all the cases fell through due to a lack of evidence (and possible forgery). During the Second World War, the Syndicate attempted to sell their services to the Soviet Union and the Allied Nations, but was ultimately turned down by both because of their lack of high-powered weaponry. Through the next decade, the Syndicate began to buy out science and engineering companies in order to improve their technology. By 1960, they had become the world's largest military corporation, and unknown to the public, possessed some of the world's most dangerous weaponry. What happened to Romulus since then has been a mystery. His alias has allowed him to become shrouded in complete secrecy. The top executives of the Syndicate are rarely mentioned and require heavy security to even exchange a few words with. The only legacy of his that remains is the fantastic Greco-Roman architecture that adorns every Syndicate structure, as he has an obsession for everything from the time of Ancient Rome and Greece. The Technology "A stronger employee is a better employee!" :- Syndicate Spokeswoman In the 1960s, the Syndicate fought a marketing battle against another corporation - FutureTech - over who would provide their services to the Allies. They campaigned long and hard, but ultimately lost to the creators of such technologies as the cryobeam and S.H.R.I.N.K. ray. Though the official statement was that FutureTech, with its hard engineering and solid physics background, could simply deliver a better technological edge to the Allies, the truth was the Allied Nations were deeply disturbed by the Syndicate's eagerness to ignore morality and the rules of war to create their weaponry and equipment. The Syndicate's greatest advance and most closely guarded secret, the integrated circuit, has advanced the Syndicate's electronics to a level unrivalled by any power until the Empire of the Rising Sun came out of isolation. Their computer technology is actually becoming one of their greatest financial assets; corporations and nations pay millions of dollars to have numbers crunched by the advanced computers of the Syndicate. Computers permeate every level of Syndicate technology, from the massive server farms that track the global financial market, to the cyberdecks of the Syndicate's engineers and technicians, or the tiny micro-soft drives plugged directly into the nervous systems of Sprawl dwellers, enabling users to speak any language flawlessly. As their computers get smaller and more advanced, the members of the Syndicate seem ever more eager to incorporate it into every element of life, including their own bodies. In the centres of many cities in the developing world one can find the newly risen skyscrapers, squat factories and techno-slums that the Syndicate call "Sprawls", where neon lights and digital monitors line the walls of the concrete caverns and smog from countless factories has darkened the sky. Some Sprawls even find themselves under the cover of geodesic domes to protect from the merciless acid rains caused by the industrial excess. Everywhere is the touch of Syndicate technology, from electronics to bioengineering to cybernetics. These Sprawls are areas absolutely owned by the Syndicate, who simply buy up every building, street and alleyway for almost nothing and turn them into freewheeling centres of commerce away from prying eyes in which they may develop and manufacture everything from new lines of cars to computer systems to the world's most modern firearms. There, their word is law and money buys anything. The Underworld; or, Extreme Takeover: Rome Edition "You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything. They own all the important land. They own and control the corporations. They’ve long since bought and paid for the governments and the city halls; they've got the judges in their back pockets and they own all the big media companies, so they control just about all of the news and information you get to hear." :- Stand-up comedian George Carlin What is not immediately obvious about the Syndicate is their deep connections with the criminal elements of society all over the world. Throughout its history there have been many inquires and investigations, digging deep into the complex web of hundreds of companies that make up the Syndicate, but it has always been fruitless. The Syndicate is simply too big, covers too many areas, and often operates in the remote, lawless regions of the Earth. To be sure, most law enforcement and intelligence agencies know that there is something off with the megacorporation, and more than a few of these agencies consider them to be a criminal organisation, if only they can get proof of it. The fact is, the Syndicate has its hooks in everything, every level of criminality all over the world. They are the ultimate mafia with the perfect front. By far the most profitable areas of underground Syndicate activity is the drug trade and arms dealing. The Syndicate, in addition to controlling the conventional drug trade, have a wide variety of pharmaceutical companies that have turned themselves over to the manufacture of ever more potent and addicting synthetic drugs; Nuke, 'Slaught, Octagons, Spice, Dust; under a million names from a million alleyways the Syndicate has its stamp on the world. Not only that, but they have hundreds of associated companies dedicated to the creation of tools of war for the lesser nations in their constant petty squabbles across the globe. They are where countless warlords get their weapons from, and the ones who provide the Confederates with the ammunition for their ancient guns. Wherever life is taken, the Syndicate make a profit. Because of these shady deals, they are in constant rivalry with another arms dealer: International Inc, whose convoys and shipments of arms and civilian aid bearing their corporate logo tend to disappear in areas with strong Syndicate presence, causing great tension and reluctance for International Inc to deal with the Syndicate. Despite that, both organisations cooperate with each other, for unknown reasons. Lately, though, the organisation has released many press reports dealing with the advancement of spacecraft and seem to have their eyes focused on the stars; for that is the future of the Syndicate, to provide the most advanced security systems on the planet, even if it means annihilating the competition. Gameplay Mechanics Build Mechanic The Syndicate pays up-front for a structure over five seconds, then place the structure, which will build on its own over time in the Soviet style. However, once construction has started, the Syndicate can begin constructing another structure immediately, allowing them to quickly assemble a base. Every building projects a small build radius. Resource Mechanic The Headquarters produce trucks that can be sent out to ore nodes around the map, collecting resources for you. Power Mechanic The Syndicate use zero-point generators, which produce less power than most Power Plants but can be laid down in rows like walls. Tier Mechanic The Research Department projects tier levels as it is upgraded. Upgrade Mechanic The Research Department allow the researching of field upgrades. Field upgrades carry global improvements to certain units for a flat cost, and can be accessed under the Defences tab. The tier upgrade from 2 to 3 must be purchased at the Research Department. Auras Auras are radii generated by certain units that affect infantry and battlesuits. Each is basically a buff to the effectiveness of each unit. Weapons Gyrojets: These weapons appear to be guns but instead of bullets they fire tiny fin-less rockets. Railguns: Railguns are recoil heavy, maintenance intensive weapons that use high-powered magnets to propel long needles of hardened steel at hypersonic velocities. The anti-tank weapon acts like Natasha's sniper rifle, passing clean through each target onto the one behind. They tend to do less damage as they do not explode or leave much impact force, but they are deadly against massed enemies. Development Progress "How can one describe the authority of a Sprawl? It isn't police, for police are sworn to defend and protect, and the authority of the Sprawls do neither. But neither could one call it an army, for an army implies some solid, unchanging chain of command, of which the authority of any Sprawl is decidedly not under. Instead, authority is fluid and at once primitive and complex – tribal warfare where might makes right, where the chariots and spears are armored cars and railguns, where the caves are steel and concrete and the losers go into economic instead of physical slavery. Authority is invested in a hundred different groups who fight each other with fervent hatred, and yet will unite in defiance of outsiders. If anything could be described of such an authority, it would be that they are the apex predators in an urban jungle." :- Excerpt from a National Geographic presentation on Sprawls The Mediterranean Syndicate are part of the fourth release of Red Alert 3 Paradox, coming out in the same package as the Protectorate faction. They have a total of 12 buildings, 7 defence structures, 9 upgrades and 45 units (9 infantry, 11 battlesuits, 9 vehicles, 6 aircraft, 10 watercraft). Structures Defences Infantry Battlesuits Battlesuits (for all intents and purposes, Cyborgs) are uber-infantry, which have the combined features of tanks and infantry. Battlesuits are uncrushable, and in fact some of the heavier ones can crush infantry. They receive damage like tanks, making them mostly immune to anti-infantry weapons but more vulnerable to anti-tank weapons. They can garrison structures as well. Battlesuits requiring controlling monitors which keep close tabs on these expensive assets; you are limited to eight battlesuits per control node. Like infantry they gain bonuses from Auras. Vehicles Aircraft Watercraft Category:Factions